The Linguist

Afghans in limbo Former Afghan military interpreters are still waiting on promises made by the British government to protect their safety and that of their families. For one interpreter now living in north London, referred to as Farhad, the wait has become its own kind of exile. His brother's application to join him in the UK has been rejected and is now under appeal, three years after a catastrophic data breach at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) put thousands of Afghans who worked with British forces at risk of Taliban reprisal. "I feel betrayed because they promised us but did not stand by their words," he told the BBC. The MoD's position is that circumstances have changed. In a statement, it pointed to "increased evidence of successful self-moves" and said that, having weighed the risks to this group against "value for money for the taxpayer", it decided in April to end in- country assistance to get eligible applicants out of Afghanistan. Those still there must now reach a third country unaided before their case can even be processed, with the government setting a deadline of December 2028 for the whole scheme to be wound up. The scale of the problem is substantial. The Defence Committee inquiry report published in July described the data leak as a result of "foreseeable systemic failure", citing a long list of weaknesses that require improvement. An earlier Public Accounts Committee report found that the department knowingly relied on inadequate Excel spreadsheets to manage this highly sensitive caseload, and that MPs remain unconvinced it could stop a similar breach from happening again. The resettlement scheme created in the breach's wake is now estimated to cost around £850 million, excluding legal fees and any future compensation. Beyond the acute impact on the lives of the individuals concerned, the case raises important questions about the responsibilities employers – especially state actors – have with regard to translators and interpreters in sensitive settings. This is particularly pertinent to conflict zones, where protections are needed the most but are not necessarily forthcoming. CIOL Honorary President Baroness Coussins has, for more than a decade, proposed that translators and interpreters in conflict zones be afforded a special legal status along the lines of UN Resolution 1738, which protects journalists. For interpreters like Farhad, still negotiating the bureaucracy and shifting rules, the wait continues, and time is running short. 6 The Linguist Vol/65 No/3 ciol.org.uk/thelinguist NEWS & EDITORIAL In the media PHILIP HARDING-ESCH The campaign to save languages continues at the University of Nottingham – the first Russell Group university threatening to close its language provision. Exeter University's proposals to reduce staffing across its humanities provision also prompted fears about the potential impact on languages there. Outlets such as WonkHE published think pieces exploring innovative ways to boost languages uptake in Higher Education, including more ab initio courses. One issue is the decline in language study in UK schools, which may be compounded by the withdrawal of bursaries for internationally recruited trainee teachers in languages and physics. According to Schoolsweek, the change was implemented without notice in May despite the subjects depending on overseas recruitment for about half their training cohort. Professor René Koglbauer, chair of the Association for Language Learning, said the move would impact "children's access to a broad curriculum, including languages". It has been an active period for the UK's regional languages, with the Isle of Man launching its Year of the Manx Language and Scotland establishing 'Areas of Linguistic Significance' under the Scottish Language Act 2025. The consultation for a new Cornish Language Strategy closed in July, although the press focused more on a Reform councillor who questioned whether the investment was justified. Support for Irish in Northern Ireland met yet more controversy, with only £1m of a £6m fund actually reaching Irish-medium schools, according to the BBC. The BBC World Service announced new language services in Hungarian and Romanian in a widely welcomed development. Meanwhile, the World Cup was an opportunity to celebrate global languages and cultures, with press articles showcasing England players' language skills. The Sun had a nice piece on Jude Bellingham's Spanish language proficiency. Philip Harding-Esch is a freelance languages project manager and consultant. Why the plight of Afghan interpreters has wider implications for the treatment of military linguists

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